Folding box



May 5, 1964 Filed May 28, 1962 R. E. PAIGE FOLDING BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

R. E. PAIGE FOLDING BOX May 5, 1964 5 2 mm m mm N E 0 a M u 2 m FIGS W A 2702 em.

United States Patent 3,131,849 FOLDING BOX Richard E. Paige, 95 Madison Ave., New York 16, N.Y. Filed May 28, 1962, Ser. No. 198,114 3 Claims. (Cl. 229-34) The present invention relates to containers and more particularly to containers formed of corrugated paper or solid fiber.

At the present time documents in an office are usually filed in upright filing cabinets having three or four metal or wooden sliding file drawers. This type of cabinet is relatively expensive to use for infrequently utilized papers.

As a less expensive substitute for filing cabinets, cardboard file drawers having their own containers are sometimes used. The containers, in order to support the weight of similar containers stacked on them, are made of sturdy and expensive materials including metal reinforcing edges and metal corners. Even so, they sometimes collapse under the weight of containers piled on them, especially when the drawer is removed. It is difficult, even with the most sturdy of this type, to replace a drawer that has been once removed from the bottom container in a stack, and they generally do not have handles for carrying them.

It is the objective of the present invention to provide a carton which is folded from one unitary blank; which in its unfolded state lies flat so that its transportation and storage is inexpensive and convenient; which is designed to utilize a minimum amount of cardboard and so be inexpensive; which is easily and quickly assembled into a container without special tools and by unskilled labor; which is manufactured of inexpensive cardboard or fiber board without the use of metal or other reinforcing parts; which is provided with a handle member having a smooth side for lifting the carton; and which subsequent to its assembly may be readily unfolded for storage and then re-used.

Other objectives of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the folded carton of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the blank from which the carton of FIG. 1 is folded;

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a folded carton which is another embodiment of the present invention;

'FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the blank from which the carton of FIG. 3 is folded;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the folded carton of FIG. 3 within its sleeve and positioned on a steel shelf; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the T-shaped locking mechanism being inserted through an aperture in the cartons front panel.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the basic carton of the present invention comprises an integral blank of cardboard or fiber material. This blank may be die cut from cardboard stock and, as it is in one integral piece, the only further steps in the blanks production are the pressing or printing of fold lines, the printing of the companys name, and the printing of folding instructions. The blank includes an elongated rectangular central panel 1, which forms the bottom of the carton, and side flaps 3 and 4. The side flaps have two interior flap members; flap 4 has the left front interior flap 6 and the left back interior flap 8 which are integral with it; and right flap 3 has the right front interior flap 7 and the left back interior flap 9 integral with it. The end flaps 2 and 5, which are integral with bottom 1, have elongated holes 10 and 11, respectively, which are utilized for the insertion of a tab retaining member and as the handles of the carton. Each of the interior flaps is provided with an elongated slot 12, 13, 14 and 15 for flaps 6, 7, 8 and 9 respectively. These slots are one-half the length and the same width as holes 10 and 11. The blank has either printed or indented lines to indicate the folding lines of the carton. These lines enable the user to fold the blank readily at the flap connections. They are shown as dashed lines in FIGS. 2 and 4. Narrow elongated folded portions 16 and 17 are provided near the upper portion of end flaps 2 and 5 for folding over of the end flaps. Retaining portions 18 and 19 of flaps 2 and 5, respectively, are provided on the ends of those flaps to hold the interior flaps together by holding them against the bottom of the carton after the carton is folded. The terminal portions of the end flaps form a T-shaped locking mechanism and include neck portions of flaps 2 and 5, respectively portions 20 and 21, forming the handles when inserted through holes 10 and 11 respectively. The neck portions are integral with the tab portions 22 and 23. Each of the tab portions is provided with printed, indented, or otherwise scored lines 24 across the width of the tab.

In folding the carton, the user lays the blank on a flat surface and folds the side flaps 3 and 4 inward into the perpendicular position. He then folds interior flaps 6 and 8 inward towards flap 4 so that the flaps are at about right angles with the fiap 3. The end flaps 2 and 5 are then folded perpendicular to bottom portion 1 and the retaining portions 18 and 19 are folded over inwardly, which forms the narrow folding portions 16 and 17. The retaining portions 18 and 19 are inserted inwardly to the box over the perpendicular extending flaps 6 and 7 and 8 and 9 respectively. The wings (extending ends) 28 of the tab portions 22 and 23 are bent inwardly along cross lines 24 and the tab portions inserted through holes 10 and 11 respectively. The wings 28 of the tabs 22 are allowed to bend back to their original position, forming a straight tab portion on the exterior of the carton.

It is thus seen that the carton is readily folded from the single blank. The handle of the carton is formed by the underside (as viewed in FIG. 2) of the tabs 22 and 23. The tab wings 28 retain the tab on the exterior of the box and prevent the tab from slipping. The box is held together as the end flaps 2 and 5 are folded over the interior flaps. The interior flaps cannot fall out because in order to do so they must rotate about the fold lines between flaps 3 and 4 and the central portion 1, which they cannot do as long as they are held down by the folding portions 16 and 17.

The strength of this carton may readily be seen by following through the forces on the box exerted by an outward pressure, for example, outward pressure on side flap 3. Such pressure tends to cause flap 3 to rotate about its folding line between flap 3 and central portion 1. Interior flaps 7 and 9 tend to apply pressure on folding portions 16 and 17, which tends to apply upward pressure on flaps 2 and 5. However, the end flaps cannot move upward as they are integral with central portion 1. The end flaps cannot unfold because to do so it is necessary to remove the tabs from the exterior to the interior. These tabs are held firmly by their extended Wings 28.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an embodiment of the carton of the present invention adapted to store machine record cards. All of the flaps, end portions and members of this carton are similar to the carton of FIGS. 1 and 2, and similarly numbered, with the following exceptions: Each of the interior flaps has a cut-away portion 29. When the interior flaps are joined together, the cut-away provides a shallow elongated opening in the tops of the flaps. The folding portions 16 and 17 of the end flaps fold over this opening so that portions 16 and 17' are below the level of the sidewalls of the carton to permit the carton to slide in and out of its sleeve. In addition, fold-over portions 16 and 17 provide a smooth top hand grip with which to slide the tray.

The carton of FIGS. 3 and 4 is a sliding tray which fits within a rectangular hollow tubular sleeve 25. This sleeve is similar to the sleeves found on transfer files. As is seen in FIGURE 5, the tray in its sleeve is positioned on the steel shelves 26 which are held up by supporting steel columns 27. Two or three of these tray (drawer) members in their sleeves may be stacked on top of one another and the trays readily pulled partially in and out.

Although the primary utilization of the present invention is in the field of record storage, it is understood that the invention is not limited to such uses, but the structure as set forth in the subjoined claims may be employed for other purposes. For example, the carton of FIGS. 1 and 2 provides an inexpensive means of shipping perishable food products. For this purpose, the interior may be lined with fungus resistant paper or other chemical preservatives. The retail user of the carton takes the fruits or vegetables out of the carton, unfolds the carton and returns it to the shipper. This carton, since it may be re used, may be made of heavier stock than is commonly employed for such cartons.

The handle of the carton of the present invention provides an easy method to tote the food product. In certain situations, for example, in large food chains having control of both production and retail distribution, it may be possible to re-use cartons. The re-shipment of the cartons in their unfolded condition is relatively inexpensive and there is little labor involved in folding and unfolding the carton of the present invention due to its unique construction.

I claim:

1. A container comprising a rectangular bottom; side walls extending upward from said bottom; and a locking and strengthening construction including an end wall extending upward from said bottom and a flap integral with each side wall; said end wall having a hole with its edge remote from said bottom substantially parallel to said bottom and also having at its outward edge a narrow elongated folded portion, said narrow elongated folded portion having at its outward edge a retaining portion substantially equal in length to the distance of the narrow elongated folded portion from said tially one-half the width of said end wall, said flap having an indentation in its end edge, said indentation being in length substantially one-half the length of said edge of said hole; said locking construction having each said flap folded inward so that the end edge of one flap substantially abuts the end edge of the other flap and said indentations are in registry with said hole, having said narrow elongated folded portion lying closely against the top edge of said flaps, having said retaining portion lying closely against the inward surface of said flaps, having said neck extending outward through said indentations and said hole, and having said tab and wings extending outside said hole.

its edge remote from said bottom substantially parallel to said bottom and also having at its outward edge a narrow elongated folded portion, said narrow elongated folded portion having at its outward edge a retaining portion substantially equal in length to the distance of the narrow elongated folded portion from said edge of said 4 hole, said retaining portion having at its outward edge edge of said hole, said retaining portion having at its a neck substantially equal in width to the length of said edge of said hole, said neck having at its outward edge a tab, said tab having at each sideward edge a wing extending sideward beyond said neck; said flap integral with each side wall being sufiiciently long so that a substantial portion of said flap extends inward past the outer extremity of said edge of said hole when said flap is folded inward; said locking construction having each said flap folded inward so that a substantial portion of said flap lies above said edge of said hole, having said narrow elongated folding portion lying closely against a substantial portion of the top edge of said flaps; having said retaining portion lying closely against a substantial portion of the inward surface of said flaps, having said neck extending outward through said indentations and said hole, and having said tabs and wings extending outside said hole.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,388,288 Ringler et al. Nov. 6, 1945 2,954,914 Herlihy Oct. 4, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 591,475 France Apr. 10, 1925 

1. A CONTAINER COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR BOTTOM; SIDE WALLS EXTENDING UPWARD FROM SAID BOTTOM; AND A LOCKING AND STRENGTHENING CONSTRUCTION INCLUDING AN END WALL EXTENDING UPWARD FROM SAID BOTTOM AND A FLAP INTEGRAL WITH EACH SIDE WALL; SAID END WALL HAVING A HOLE WITH ITS EDGE REMOTE FROM SAID BOTTOM SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID BOTTOM AND ALSO HAVING AT ITS OUTWARD EDGE A NARROW ELONGATED FOLDED PORTION, SAID NARROW ELONGATED FOLDED PORTION HAVING AT ITS OUTWARD EDGE A RETAINING PORTION SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL IN LENGTH TO THE DISTANCE OF THE NARROW ELONGATED FOLDED PORTION FROM SAID EDGE OF SAID HOLE, SAID RETAINING PORTION HAVING AT ITS OUTWARD EDGE A NECK SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL IN WIDTH TO THE LENGTH OF SAID EDGE OF SAID HOLE, SAID NECK HAVING AT ITS OUTWARD EDGE A TAB, SAID TAB HAVING AT EACH SIDEWARD EDGE A WING EXTENDING SIDEWARD BEYOND SAID NECK; SAID FLAP INTEGRAL WITH EACH SIDE WALL BEING IN LENGTH SUBSTANTIALLY ONE-HALF THE WIDTH OF SAID END WALL, SAID FLAP HAVING AN INDENTATION IN ITS END EDGE, SAID INDENTATION BEING IN LENGTH SUBSTANTIALLY ONE-HALF THE LENGTH OF SAID EDGE OF SAID HOLE; SAID LOCKING CONSTRUCTION HAVING EACH SAID FLAP FOLDED INWARD SO THAT THE END EDGE OF ONE FLAP SUBSTANTIALLY ABUTS THE END EDGE OF THE OTHER FLAP AND SAID INDENTATIONS ARE IN REGISTRY WITH SAID HOLE, HAVING SAID NARROW ELONGATED FOLDED PORTION LYING CLOSELY AGAINST THE TOP EDGE OF SAID FLAPS, HAVING SAID RETAINING PORTION LYING CLOSELY AGAINST THE INWARD SURFACE OF SAID FLAPS, HAVING SAID NECK EXTENDING OUTWARD THROUGH SAID INDENTATIONS AND SAID HOLE, AND HAVING SAID TAB AND WINGS EXTENDING OUTSIDE SAID HOLE. 